Re: question about RAI guidelines and pets

[Guest guest]

Hi Hailey;

My endo told me that there haven't been studies of the effects of RAI

in people on their pets, but to err on the side of caution.. since

RAI is used to ablate the thyroids in hyperthyroid cats... basically

we used my precaution levels for babies and pregnant women for the

cats, in my case with a 63mci dose, it was 7 days before i could be

near them. The cats were locked out of the master bedroom (and spent

7 days picketing outside the door) and Mike fed them and patted them,

and I did the litter but wore gloves so i wouldn't get my sweaty

hands on their pans......

When i had my 4mci scan dose, all the pets were kept away from me for

24 hours just like the babies and people precaution (by now we also

have a dog, so there were 3 pets sitting outside the door to the

bedroom sulking.)

I figured since they are smaller, have faster metabolisms, shorter

life spans and are affected by RAI - the more caution the better, so

we used the highest human standard (babies, pregnant women)

barb

if i were to get less than

> 200millicuries and can stay away from people for a few

> days, i can stay home (no hospital isolation at all).

> i asked her about my cat. endo said they'll treat the

> cat like a baby and as long as he doesn't sleep on me

> or come into close contact with me, the cat should be

> fine.

> i'm pretty skeptical about this. i have read nothing

> that says this. so, i'm waiting for my endo to call

> back. i want to know exactly where she is getting

> these RAI exposure guidelines from. i don't want to

> be experimenting on my cat. does anyone know anything

> about this?

[Guest guest]

Hi!

Although I cannot tell you where the guidelines come from other than some

" new government standard, " I recently found out (on Monday, July 22nd, in

fact) this same info from my endo about there being new standards which will

allow people getting less than 200 mci to be treated outpatient, as long as

they can isolate themselves from pregnant women, small children, etc. So

while I can't point you to the spot where you can read these guidelines, I

can at least tell you that I got the same info!

Good luck,

TT 6/19 -- T2 Pap. cancer found

currently in hypo waiting for 1st WB scan

[Guest guest]

The NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) is the governing body of this.

They changed the ruling in 1997. Prior to that any dose of 30mCi's or

more required hospital isolation (which is why you'll see those who

had what is called a " walking dose " of 29.9mCi's prior to the change

of regulations). Since that time we have indeed had members post that

they have had up to 200mCi's of RAI and have gone home immediately

afterwards.

Me? My doses have been >200mCi's, so I have been isolated in the

hospital overnight.

Marilyn

> hailey0007@y...

>

> i was diag. w/ graves disease jan. 2002. had uptake

> scan due to abnormal labs. cold nodule found.

> ultrasound/ FNA. suspicious for pap. TT done late

> may 2002. multifocal pap w/ 1/9 nodes positive. been

> off cytomel for nine days now. waiting for scan next

> week and RAI early aug.

>

> so, my surgeon told me, as i've read in all internet

> sources and journals, that i'd probably have to stay

> at the hosp during RAI.

> but, my endo called and told me that new guidelines

> have come out. if i were to get less than

> 200millicuries and can stay away from people for a few

> days, i can stay home (no hospital isolation at all).

> i asked her about my cat. endo said they'll treat the

> cat like a baby and as long as he doesn't sleep on me

> or come into close contact with me, the cat should be

> fine.

> i'm pretty skeptical about this. i have read nothing

> that says this. so, i'm waiting for my endo to call

> back. i want to know exactly where she is getting

> these RAI exposure guidelines from. i don't want to

> be experimenting on my cat. does anyone know anything

> about this?

> thanks. --hailey.

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

Oh wow, that also brings up another concern that I just now thought about.

I'm having a scan next Wednesday, and I have in my house a pregnant bitch

(pardon the dog-talk) that's about 1 month along! I don't want to have

weird-looking puppies.

What do I do????

Sandy

[Guest guest]

Hi Sandy,

I think as long as you treat her as you would a human

she should be okay. You should probably double-check

with the radiologist. He/she will give you

instructions on X number of feet to physically be away

from people for X number of days. For example, I had

to be at least three feet away from my husband (and

cats) for four days.

Good luck and I hope your dog has a healthy and happy

litter!

Theresa

--- smart4077@... wrote:

> Oh wow, that also brings up another concern that I

> just now thought about.

> I'm having a scan next Wednesday, and I have in my

> house a pregnant bitch

> (pardon the dog-talk) that's about 1 month along! I

> don't want to have

> weird-looking puppies.

> What do I do????

>

> Sandy

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hailey,

I would recommend talking to the Nuclear Medicine folks who will be

administering your RAI. I had 150mCi (21 Nov 01) and was isolated in the

hospital for 48 hours. I was isolated at home (away from my husband,

daughter and two cats) for an additional week. The Nuclear Medicine doc

told me to treat my cats like babies...stay away. Take it seriously.

Interestingly, on 10 Dec 01 when I had to pick up an international shipment

from Customs at our airport, the Customs guy's radiation detector kept going

off while I was standing within 6 feet of him. When I moved to the other

side of the room, it stopped.

Jill

PT - May 01

DX - Jul 01, follicular

TT - Oct 01

RAI - Nov 01

question about RAI guidelines and pets

hailey0007@...

i was diag. w/ graves disease jan. 2002. had uptake

scan due to abnormal labs. cold nodule found.

ultrasound/ FNA. suspicious for pap. TT done late

may 2002. multifocal pap w/ 1/9 nodes positive. been

off cytomel for nine days now. waiting for scan next

week and RAI early aug.

so, my surgeon told me, as i've read in all internet

sources and journals, that i'd probably have to stay

at the hosp during RAI.

but, my endo called and told me that new guidelines

have come out. if i were to get less than

200millicuries and can stay away from people for a few

days, i can stay home (no hospital isolation at all).

i asked her about my cat. endo said they'll treat the

cat like a baby and as long as he doesn't sleep on me

or come into close contact with me, the cat should be

fine.

i'm pretty skeptical about this. i have read nothing

that says this. so, i'm waiting for my endo to call

back. i want to know exactly where she is getting

these RAI exposure guidelines from. i don't want to

be experimenting on my cat. does anyone know anything

about this?

thanks. --hailey.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

RE: question about RAI guidelines and pets

> Interestingly, on 10 Dec 01 when I had to pick up an international

shipment from Customs at our airport, the Customs guy's radiation

detector kept going off while I was standing within 6 feet of him.

When I moved to the other side of the room, it stopped.

> Jill

> RAI - Nov 01

Gosh!

Did anybody make any comments about it? Even to swear at the detector

(WHY IS THIS THING GOING OFF!?!).

And the way things are these days, they might even have evacuated the

whole area!

Or -- did you just tell them it was " you " .

bj

[Guest guest]

Hi Sandy;

I'd use the same precautions for the pregnant bitch as you would for

a human - stay clear till your precautions are lifted..

barb

> Oh wow, that also brings up another concern that I just now

thought about.

> I'm having a scan next Wednesday, and I have in my house a pregnant

bitch

> (pardon the dog-talk) that's about 1 month along! I don't want to

have

> weird-looking puppies.

> What do I do????

>

> Sandy